Senior QB Mario Melton accounted for 152 of MSU's 264 yards of total offense.
NORFOLK, Va. –Dennis Brown ran for two touchdowns and Norfolk State capitalized on a season-high seven turnovers by Morgan State to rout the Bears 35-9 on Saturday at Dick Price Stadium.
The Spartans win (4-6,3-4 MEAC) not only snapped the Bears four-game winning streak, hurt Morgan State's hopes of staying in contention for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Title.
Morgan State (6-4, 4-1 MEAC) had 264 yards of offensive and Devan James, the MEAC's leading running back, was limited to 69 yards on 15 carries. Norfolk State (3-6, 2-4 MEAC) managed 184 yards of total offense, including 78 through the air and 106 on the ground.
The Spartans got out to a 7-0 lead on its opening drive when DeAngelo Branche scored from 1-yard out, capping an 8-play 64 yard drive. During the drive, Sheldon Jacques was flagged for piling on penalty that kept Norfolk's drive alive on 3rd and short.
Branche finished the first quarter with 10 carries for 72 yards and finished the game with 86 yards.
Jeremy Glover turned the ball over at the beginning of the second quarter when he misjudged an option pitch to Keith Lee and the Spartans fell on the ball at the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Dennis Brown rolled right and crossed the endzone from 5-yards out to give the Spartans a 14-0 lead with 11:51 remaining in the first half.
On the Bears ensuing drive, Glover threw his fourth interception of the year when he floated a pass to Robert Surratt but was picked off by Terrell Whitehead and returned to the Morgan 16 yard line. Again, the Bears' defense dodged another bullet when Castellat missed a 40-yard field goal.
Mario Melton checked into the ballgame midway through the second and moved the Bears into Norfolk's side of the 50. The Spartans seemed to have trouble with the Bears new backfield of Melton and James. The duo combined to the move the ball to the Norfolk 29 only to see the drive end when Melton tried to throw the ball away, with a Spartan defender draped around his legs, and was picked off by Dennis Marsh.
The Spartans took a 14-0 lead into the halftime.
Melton finished the game by completing 6-of-16 passes for 100 yards, including a touchdown, two interceptions and 52 yards on the ground. Glover, who started for the second time of his career, threw for 18 yards on 3-of-7 passes with two picks.
Melton orchestrated a 15-play, 72 yard drive and was helped along when Spartan cornerback Marcus Cooperwood was flagged for pass interference to give the Bears the ball at the Norfolk 29. The Bears had to settle for a 29-yard field goal by James Meade midway through the third quarter.
During Norfolk State's next possession, the Bears were flagged twice for pass interference to help give the Spartans the ball deep in Morgan territory. Brown scored his second touchdown of the game when he took a quarterback sweep four yards to take a commanding 20-3 lead with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter.
On the Bears ensuing possession, the Bears drove deep into Spartan territory, however Glover threw his second interception of the game at the Spartan 1 yard line.
Melton led the Bears to their only touchdown of the contest when he completed a 9-yard strike to Jephte Cherenfant in the back of the endzone with 9 minutes left in the game. Melton's two-point pass attempt to Robert Surratt fell incomplete, as the Bears trailed 21-9.
The Bears last drive of the fourth quarter ended with a fumble when Melton was nailed in the backfield by Anthony Taylor and the Spartans recovered on the Norfolk 14.
Norfolk State punctuated the game when Hasan Craig scooped up a fumble by Melton in the backfield and outraced offensive tackle Dakarai Grimsley for a 34-yard fumble return for a touchdown, followed by Don Carey's second pick, this time for a 94-yard touchdown return to give the Bears a 35-9 win.
The Bears finished the contest with 11 penalties for 106 yards, while the Spartans were penalized 13 times for 100 yards.
